Let's Get A Cat
by mindspsychoaddict
Summary: AU. Reid persuades Emily to go to an animal shelter to get a cat. Being Reid, there's obviously drama...written for: CrystalIceLover.


**AU Fic, slight spoilers for Season 6 if you consider the fact that Emily got a cat as a spoiler. I changed it a little so Reid and Emily both got Sergio together. I think most people would prefer that, right?**

**Written as a birthday present for CrystalIceLover! I know they're your favourite pairing! Happy Birthday!**

Let's Get A Cat

''Emily we should get a cat.''

Emily looked up from the book she was reading to stare at her boyfriend of three months with a perplexed expression on her face. ''A cat?''

''Yes a cat. There's been studies proving that owning cats have health benefits, such as a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, lowering cholesterol, reducing blood pressure-''

''That's great Spencer,'' Emily said, turning back to her book and tuning Reid out. She loved him, but once he went off on a tangent there was no stopping him. So she just let him ramble on without interrupting him. He was happier that way.

''And they also help with autism and depression. If those reasons don't persuade you I don't know what will,'' he finished, looking extremely pleased with himself.

He stared at Emily with a slight frown on his face, because she wasn't answering him. Emily sensed his eyes on her and turned her head. ''Yes Spencer?''

''I just gave you the health benefits of having a cat. But you weren't listening,'' he frowned. Whenever he frowned her looked like a sad puppy. It was easy to sympathise with him.

''Aww of course I was listening honey. I was just...considering what you said,'' Emily told him, gently rubbing her hand up and down his arm. ''If you really want to get a cat, we can get a cat.''

''Yay!'' Reid squealed. He looked just like a kid who had just opened his Christmas presents. Emily laughed at how excited he was. He had a big, stupid grin on his face and he looked as if he was about to explode with happiness.

''BUT, he's staying at your place. I don't want cat hair all around the place,'' she told him.

''Fine, I'll keep him. I've already found someone to look after the cat when we're away, and also a good shelter to start looking for a cat. I think we should go tomorrow.''

''Wow, you sure are prepared, aren't you?'' Emily laughed. It was adorable how into this he was.

''Yes,'' Reid replied with a slight frown. He didn't get why Emily was laughing. It wasn't that funny. Did he have something between his teeth? No, he just flossed ten minutes ago. That couldn't be it. ''Emily what's so funny?''

''It's just cute how into this you are,'' Emily smiled. It was the smile she saved just for him, the smile he had grown to fall in love with the few months they had been dating.

Reid frowned again. He still didn't understand. ''But...how is it cute that I'm so into this?''

''It just is!'' Emily exclaimed, but Reid frowned again. This was hopeless. ''Just forget it.''

* * *

><p>Early the next morning, the couple arrived at the shelter Reid had rambled about last night. Emily had only caught half of what he was saying, but from what she had heard this sounded like a good place. They really took care of their animals and made sure they were happy.<p>

They walked into the shelter with their arms linked, because Reid still wasn't exactly comfortable holding hands. Especially in public. So they had decided to take things really slow, and if Emily was honest, she was glad of it because it gave her a chance to fully work things out in her head before they got in too far. But so far, so good.

They were shown to where the cats were kept, and they started looking at them, attempting to find the cat that was just right for them.

They first passed an angry looking tom cat, that scared Reid. He didn't trust the look in that cat's eye one bit. He quickly moved Emily on to the next cat, which was a black and white Manx cat. These type of cats were famous for having short tails.

''Ooh a Manx cat! I've never actually seen one of these in person, only in books. Did you know that Manx cats have been exhibited in cat shows since the 1800s, with the first known breed standard published in 1903?'' Reid rambled, as the assistant at the shelter let them in to look at the cat more closely.

Emily rolled her eyes and smirked at the shelter assistant, who was holding in a giggle. The assistant picked up the cat and handed him to Emily. Emily smiled down at the cat and started gently stroking his head. ''Aww he's nice. What's his name?'' she asked the shelter assistant.

''Sylvester. He has a really good temperment, and he's really friendly. He loves people,'' the assistant answered.

''I like him. What about you Spencer?'' Emily asked, turning towards Reid who was very grateful that Emily was doing all the talking. He was no good at these kind of things.

''Manx cats are said to be social, tame and active. They are also prized as skilled hunters and thus have been sought out by farmers with rodent problems,'' Reid replied. He wasn't sure what else to say. He didn't really like the cat that much, but Emily really seemed to like it. He didn't want to hurt her feelings, so maybe spouting off facts could discreetly put her off.

''I see...he's nice. But I don't think he's right, do you Spencer?'' Emily inquired. The look in her eye scared him. She knew somehow...

''Um, no. I don't think he's right,'' he replied nervously.

''Ok! I'll show you the next one,'' the shelter assistant smiled and she led them down the hall.

''You could have told me Spencer,'' Emily whispered.

''I didn't want to hurt your feelings. You seemed to like the cat. Plus I didn't want the girl to think I was insulting her cat,'' he whispered back.

Emily chuckled and shook her head. ''You wouldn't have hurt my feelings Spencer. And I really don't think she'd get insulted. You're too cute sometimes.''

Reid frowned and said ''But how did you know I didn't like the cat?''

''I'm a profiler Spencer. And a woman just knows these things about her man,'' she winked. He guessed that was a good thing.

The next cat was an old Siamese cat, with sinister eyes and a deathly stare. The cat glared at them and swished his tail menacingly. Reid hated him, and Emily shuddered. They quickly moved on.

The next one was a brown tabby cat, that seemed friendly. But only seemed that way. When Emily picked him up, he was fine, but when Reid got near him, he attacked. The cat hissed and swiped at Reid with his paw. Spencer Reid never had great reflexes, so he got a large scratch on his left cheek.

''Bad cat! Don't you hurt my Spencer!'' Emily scolded the cat as she handed him back to the assistant. ''We won't be taking this one. Are you alright Spencer?'' Emily asked, going into 'motherly' mode.

''I'm fine, it's only shallow. It shouldn't be there for long,'' he answered.

''Ok...are you still sure you want to do this? One bad experience could completely change your mind. I really don't mind if you want to stop.''

''No. I suggested this. I'm going to go through with it.''

''Ok, let's go to the next one,'' she smiled.

They looked at a few more cats, Reid got another scratch, got spit on, got hissed at by at least three cats and was almost shaking by the time they arrived at the last cat. Emily was holding on to him to stop him falling apart, and inside she was praying this cat wasn't too violent. She wasn't sure Spencer could handle it.

''And this is our last one. He's been here for five months, and is hardly a year old. He's very shy, but he's nice. Not violent at all,'' the shelter assistant described, making sure to add in the last bit as she noticed Reid's impressive collection of scars.

Inside in the corner was a small, black cat, licking it's paws. It looked up when it heard the people, and backed slightly away from them.

''Aww it's ok Sergio. These are nice people. They might want to take you home,'' the shelter assistant said to the cat. She bent down and picked him up, and handed him to Emily.

Emily knew from the minute she touched him that he was the one. The way he looked at her with his big yellow eyes, and the confused expression on his face was adorable. In fact, he kind of reminded her of Reid.

''Hey there Sergio. I'm Emily, this is Spencer. What do you think of him Spencer?'' Emily asked.

''I like him. He's calm, not violent, doesn't seem to hate me, and he's kinda cute,'' Reid grinned, as he gently scratched the cat's head. The cat purred and moved as close as he could to Reid while still being in Emily's arms. ''And he actually seems to like me. That doesn't happen very often.''

''No, it doesn't. Do you think we should get him?''

''Do you?''

''You'll be the one looking after him.''

''Then...yeah. I think we should get him.''

''Great! We'll take him!'' Emily happily told the shelter assistant.

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes later they were driving back to Reid's apartment with their new cat Sergio. Emily was holding him, she hadn't let him go since she first held him. She had fallen in love with him.<p>

Reid didn't miss how much she seemed to love the cat. He was proud of himself for coming up with a good idea. They were rare, he savoured every single good one he had.

They arrived back at Reid's apartment and went inside. ''Well I guess we should really buy him some food. He has to eat,'' Emily pointed out.

Reid opened his mouth to spout off a statistic but Emily stopped him. ''Don't.'' He closed his mouth and put on the coffee.

''So where are you going to keep him?'' Emily inquired as the coffee was brewing.

''I was thinking you could have him,'' Reid told her.

''But Spencer, we agreed that you would have him.''

''I see how you look at him. I'm not going to take him away from you. You'd be much better for him anyway. I don't know the first thing about having a cat. Well I do, I'm just not sure how to put it into practice. You keep him.''

''You sure?''

''Keep him.''

Emily grinned, put Sergio down, and ran over to Reid and engulfed him in a big hug. He was a bit confused for a minute before hugging her back.

''Thank you Spencer! I'll make sure you see him a lot though, don't think he's just mine!'' she smiled after they stopped hugging.

''I know he won't. And I was thinking again...''

''Do you ever stop?''

''No, not really. But my idea is that I would see him everyday.''

''I'd love that.''

''And by that I mean everyday because we will...well...live...together,'' he said awkwardly, blushing and hoping she got his message.

''You want us to move in together?''

''We've known each other for a long time. I know we've only been dating for three months, one week and two days, but we knew each other for a few years before that. We know how we feel about each other. We both love each other. I think we're ready to do it.''

''So do I,'' Emily blushed.

''So...would you like to move in with me?'' he asked, and Emily thought he never looked cuter.

''Of course I will! But instead of just moving in together, I think we should get our own place. Somewhere bigger for when our family starts to get bigger,'' she smiled.

''Ok,'' he smiled back and he hugged her again. He kissed the top of her head when what she said suddenly dawned on him. ''Wait, what?''


End file.
